The National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace

Assembling the Pieces (Mental Health Commission of Canada)

Table of content
Preamble .................................................................................................................................................... 4
The Mental Health Strategy for Canada ...................................................................................... 4
What is the Standard? ........................................................................................................................ 4
What is the MHCC Assembling the Pieces? ................................................................................. 4
Assembling the Pieces for Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada 4
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................... 5
What is a Healthy Workplace? ........................................................................................................ 5
Phase 1 ....................................................................................................................................................... 9
1. Leadership Commitment......................................................................................................... 10
2. Leadership Engagement ......................................................................................................... 11
3. Build the Action Team .............................................................................................................. 12
4. Establish Implementation Team ............................................................................................. 13
Phase 2 ..................................................................................................................................................... 14
1. Establish your Baseline .............................................................................................................. 15
I. Data Collection.......................................................................................................................... 15
II. Hazard Identification ................................................................................................................ 15
III. Data and Trend Analysis ......................................................................................................... 16
Phase 3 ..................................................................................................................................................... 17
1. Develop Vision ............................................................................................................................ 18
2. Set Objectives ............................................................................................................................. 18
3. Develop Your Multi-Year Mental Health Action Plan ...................................................... 18
4. Create a Respectful Workplace ........................................................................................... 20
5. Prevention .................................................................................................................................... 21
I. Primary Prevention................................................................................................................. 21
II. Secondary Prevention .......................................................................................................... 21
III. Tertiary Prevention ................................................................................................................. 24
Phase 4 ..................................................................................................................................................... 26
1. Key Factors for a Successful Implementation.................................................................... 27
2. The Implementation of the Plan ............................................................................................ 28

Page 2 of 61
 A) Establish a Performance Monitoring Process .................................................................... 28
B) Internal Audits ............................................................................................................................ 28
C) Management Review Process ............................................................................................. 29
D) Plan Your Evaluation ................................................................................................................ 29
E) Measure Short- and Longer-Term Outcomes .................................................................... 30
F) Continuous Improvement ....................................................................................................... 31
Appendix A : Management Charter ............................................................................................... 34
Appendix B : Examples of Engaging Messages to Employees ................................................. 34
Appendix C : The Mental Health and Wellness in the Workplace Working Groups’ Terms
of Reference ........................................................................................................................................... 44
Appendix D : The SWOT Analysis ....................................................................................................... 46
Appendix E : Multi-Year Mental Health Action Plan .................................................................... 48
Appendix F : Mental Health First Aid Training................................................................................. 52
Appendix G : Four Layers of Diversity ............................................................................................... 54
Appendix H : The Health, Safety, and Wellness Resource Page .............................................. 56
Appendix I : Stress Management Training ...................................................................................... 58
Appendix J : Useful Tools...................................................................................................................... 60

Page 3 of 61
 Preamble
The Mental Health Strategy for Canada
Changing Directions, Changing Lives, released by the Mental Health Commission of
Canada (MHCC) in May 2012, is the first Mental Health Strategy for Canada. It aims to help
improve the mental health and well-being of all people living in Canada, and to create a
mental health system that can truly meet the needs of people living with mental health
problems and illnesses and their families. Targeting both the private and the public sectors,
the strategy outlines many resources to support its goal, such as the National Standard for
Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace (The Standard).

What is the Standard?

Championed by the MHCC, the Standard is a set of guidelines, tools & resources focused on
promoting employees’ psychological health & preventing psychological harm due to
workplace factors. It is:
o voluntary – set of tools, not rules;
o aligned on existing standards and tools;
o applicable to any organization; and
o intended to enable employers and employees to measure progress.

Key Success Factors for Implementation:

o Integrate mental health processes/policies into regular change management practices;
o Start where you think you can achieve more results;
o Keep it bite-sized; and
o Align with organizational strategic priorities.

To help organizations implement the Standard, the MHCC developed an Implementation

guide “Assembling the Pieces”.

What is the MHCC Assembling the Pieces?

This guide outlines the four implementation key steps:

1. Building Your Foundation
Demonstrating your
leadership, communicating
your commitment and
engaging your employees at
all levels.
2. Identifying Your 3. Building your Action Plan
Opportunities to Make a – Identifying Your Objectives
Positive Difference
Building your Action Plan
Analyzing existing data to which includes your vision,
identify your strengths and objectives, targets for
areas for improvement. improvement and training
requirements.
4. Implementing Your Action
Plan and a Process for
Continuous Improvement
Corrective and preventive
action process, performance
monitoring process and
management review process.

Assembling the Pieces for Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada
Developed by the Wellness programs, this guide summarizes and outlines the
specifics tools, training, resources and services that support the implementation of
the standard within Health Canada (HC) and the Public Health Agency of Canada
(the Agency). For guidance, please contact the Wellness Programs.

Page 4 of 61
Introduction
What is a Healthy Workplace?
The World Health Organization defines a healthy workplace as one in which workers and
managers collaborate to use a continual improvement process to protect and promote the
health, safety and well-being of all workers and the sustainability of the workplace by
considering:
• Health and safety convers in the physical work environment;
• Health, safety and well-being concerns in the psychosocial work environment
including organization of work and workplace culture; and
• Personal health resources in the workplace (support and encouragement of
healthy lifestyles.

Physical Work
Environment

One of the most basic of universally

Values accepted ethical principles is to “do
& no harm” to others and to ensure
Ethics employees’ health and safety,
Psychosocial Personal which are core values in action.
Work Health
Environment Resources

A good psychological health and safety (PH&S) strategy benefits Employers:

• Affecting workforce stability

• Productivity
• Insurance costs
• Risk of legal or regulatory sanctions
• The financial bottom line

It also benefits employees, with an enormous impact upon their health, morale, work-life quality
and ability to perform at their highest capacity. When PH&S becomes a priority, everyone wins!

Page 5 of 61
Although the implementation of the Standard will be a multifaceted process, the Wellness
Programs, Human Resources Directorate, Corporate Services Branch, conveys its support by
providing advice, guidance, tools, and resources to managers and employees that contribute
to improving workforce wellness.

Our aim is to create a psychologically healthy workplace; one that supports the psychological
health of employees in a manner that also achieves the priority of HC and the Agency, to build
healthy, respectful, inclusive, safe and productive workplaces.

From Harm to care: The Goal of the Standard

Toward psychological INJURY

Toward Psychological SAFETY

Carelessness Carefulness
Negligence Precaution
Recklessness Prudence
Intention Motivation

Our reality:
o One in five people in the workplace are dealing with mental health issues which, in effect,
translate into issues, conflicts, and workplace challenges for managers and employees.

o 70% of disability and illness claims deal with mental health.

o 50% of these 70% disability and illness claims are approved by Sunlife Financial.

o The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) reports that 48% of our cases pertain to
psychological health, in 2014-2015.

o In 2013-2014, HC and the Agency’s Wellness Indicators and trends conclude that mental
health, organization-wide, is an issue.

Page 6 of 61
 Definitions

Continuous Improvement
o An ongoing, recurring, and continually changing and evolving process.

Management Review
o A formalized, complete system review at a high, big picture, level. The review is carried
out by the Senior Leadership and ensures an ongoing review of relevant policies,
procedures, results, and deficiencies.

Health
o A state of complete physical, social, and mental well-being, and not merely the
absence of disease or infirmity.

Hazard Control Program

o A program that protects workers from exposure to a substance or system, the training
and the procedures required to monitor worker exposure and their health to hazards
such as chemicals, materials or substance, or other types of hazards such as noise and
vibration.

Psychological Health
o The ability to think, feel and behave in a manner that enables us to perform effectively in
our work environments, our personal lives, and in society at large.

Psychological Health and Safety Management System (PHSMS)

o This is similar to other management systems and should be integrated with, or embedded
into, existing policies and processes.

Psychologically Healthy and Safe Workplace

o A workplace that promotes workers’ psychological well-being and actively works to
prevent harm to worker psychological health including in negligent, reckless, or
intentional ways.

Psychological / Mental Health

o A state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with
the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a
contribution to his or her community.

Psychological Safety
o The absence of harm and/or threat of harm to mental well-being that a worker might
experience.
o Note: Improving the psychological safety of a work setting involves taking
precautions to avert injury or danger to worker psychological health.

Psychosocial Risk Factor

o Hazards including elements of the work environment, management practices, and/or
organizational dimensions that increase the risk to health.

Page 7 of 61
Risk Assessment
o The process of a risk assessment includes input from workers and worker representatives.
Workers, by nature, are closest to the work operation or situation and invariably will be
the most familiar with it and be able to provide helpful information and input.

Risk Mitigation Process

o The purpose is to identify the potential workplace hazards and to estimate and assess
their risks to the workers.

Workplace Health and Wellness

o A workplace in which workers and managers collaborate to use a continual
improvement process to protect and promote the health, safety and well-being of all
workers and the sustainability of the workplace by considering:
o Health and safety concerns in the physical work environment
o Health, safety and well-being concerns in the psychosocial work environment
including organization of work and workplace culture
o Personal Health Resources in the workplace (support and encouragement of healthy
lifestyles)

Page 8 of 61
Phase 1

Building Your Foundation

Page 9 of 61
Phase 1- Building Your Foundation Demonstrating your leadership,
1. Leadership Commitment
communicating your
Phase One entails the commitment by organizational leadership commitment, and engaging
to improve psychological health and safety (PH&S) through your employees at all levels.
workplace interventions.

Policy Statement

Commitment and leadership are identified as essential factors for organizational success in the
Standard. A useful method of demonstrating and gaining commitment on workplace
psychological health and safety is through a Policy Statement. This encourages employee,
stakeholder, and management commitment to the process, as it informs them and addresses
their fears about potential changes. As indicated in the Standard, the Policy Statement should
be among the initial documents prepared and approved by Senior Management.

The Policy Statement should:

• Be approved by Senior Management;
• Be short; (no more than one page) and can be incorporated into other existing
documents and policies; and,
• State the commitment to developing a systematic approach for managing health and
safety in the workplace.

Once the Policy Statement is created, it can become an instrumental piece of your
commitment communications to stakeholders.

o Management Charter
The Management Charter is an example of the Policy Statement, as it entails
management commitment and the principles that the organization will uphold in the
process and journey towards creating and fostering a healthy, respectful, inclusive, safe,
and productive workplace (see Appendix A for examples of Management Charters).

Page 10 of 61
 2. Leadership Engagement
Active endorsement and support from Senior Management reflects the importance of PH&S in
the workplace. (See Appendix B for examples of engagement letters)
How it is done
Identify Senior Management champions within your
organization to support the project lead.
People in leadership roles:
a) Allow for opportunities to have
conversations with colleagues at Executive
Committees and during bilats;
b) reinforce the development and
sustainability of a psychologically healthy
and safe workplace environment based on
a foundation of ethics and stated values;
c) support and reinforce all line management
in the implementation of the Standard;
d) establish key objectives toward continual
improvement of PH&S in the workplace
(walk the talk!);
e) lead and influence organizational culture in
a positive way;
f) ensure that PH&S is part of organizational
decision making processes; and
g) engage employees and, where required,
their representatives to be aware of:
o The importance of PH&S; and
o The implications of tolerating PH&S
hazards.
The Project Lead will be responsible for:
o Planning and implementing activities
related to the implementation of the
Standard.
o Actively participating in the Mental Health
& Workplace Wellness Working Group.
Why it matters
Organizational leaders who understand the
importance of PH&S will send a message to the
Mental Health Commission of Canada regarding
the urgency of these interventions, allocate
sufficient resources for meaningful interventions,
demonstrate the organization’s commitment to
change, and drive change when reluctance or
resistance form barriers.
Tips:
To create a culture change, a well-planned
communication strategy will transmit several
critical messages to the workforce, for example:
o We believe that creating and sustaining a
psychologically healthy and safe workplace
is essential to the success and sustainability
of our organization and consistent with our
values, priorities and objectives.
o This is a commitment to action – we will be
working towards creating positive change.
We will keep you regularly informed of next steps. We
welcome your thoughts and input by email on how to
make this initiative work.
Page 11 of 61
Employee Engagement and Participation

Objectives and targets need to be documented as part of your plan. They should be
measurable, relevant, consistent with your policies and commitments, and developed after
consultation with workers.

In the summer of 2014, the Wellness Programs conducted consultations with Employee Networks
to address mental health in the workplace. The feedback received enabled the identification of
the following five Areas of Focus, which align to the National Standard for PH&S (the Standard).

o Promotion and Awareness: A workplace that continuously upholds PH&S and makes tools
and resources pertaining to mental health more accessible for employees and managers.

o Encouragement, Engagement, and Support: A work environment where employees receive

encouragement and support when addressing their psychological health concerns.

o Culture of Respect: A work environment where employees feel validated through a culture
of respect and understanding.

o Workplace Inclusion: A work environment where employees feel a sense of inclusion within
the team and are not stigmatized.

o Work-Life Balance: A workplace that encourages balance between the demands of work,
family, and personal life.

Roles and Responsibilities Defined

3. Build the Action Team

This entails an Advisory Committee responsible for planning and implementing PH&S initiatives.
They should represent the key groups within your organization.

o Identify the skills and level of training, current and desired, of your workforce. To identify the
expectations you have in each area, think of the job roles (not the individuals in the role)
rather than the specific job itself.

o Define the job roles or functions specific to your organization and the minimum requirements
for each role in the area of PH&S. This shows you who needs what training, as well as
timelines. (See Appendix C for the Mental Health and Wellness in the Workplace Working
Group’s Terms of Reference)

o Your plan then entails training the employees. You can do this through simple workshops on
your own with resource material available or with consultants or workplace experts. (See
Workplace Wellness Intranet Page).

Page 12 of 61
Role Responsibilities
Branch Heads o Support Co-Champions and reinforces the development and
sustainability of a psychologically healthy and safe workplace based on a
foundation of ethics and stated values
Champions o Leads and influences organizational culture in a positive way
o Communicates to staff the key objectives toward continual improvement
of PH&S in the workplace
Project Managers o Plans and implements activities related to the implementation of the
Standard
o Actively participates in the Mental Health & Workplace Wellness Working
Group
Mental Health o A group of Branch employees that provide advice, guidance and the
Advisory “pulse” of the organization regarding the implementation of the Standard
Committee
Executives o Support the Branch Head in the implementation of the Standard
o Support and reinforce all line management in the implementation of the
Standard
o Ensure that PH&S is part of organizational decision making processes
Managers o Engage employees to be aware of the importance of PH&S
o Support and encourage employees in participating in mental health-
related activities
Employees o Participate actively in the implementation of the Standard (e.g. training,
consultations, active dialogues).

Collective Leadership: Roles and Responsibilities

4. Establish Implementation Team

Active, meaningful, and effective participation of stakeholders is a key factor in psychological
health. Participation is a requirement for successful policy development, planning,
implementation, operation of specific programs, and evaluation of the system and its impacts.
To ensure such participation, the organization shall:

o Engage workers and their representatives in policy development, data gathering, and
planning processes to understand their needs.

The team should reflect the diversity and
uniqueness of your Branch. It could come
in the form of a:
o Steering Committee
o Implementation Team
o Advisory Committee or Council
o Implementation Planning Task Group
o PHSMS Review Committee
o Other
Membership could consist of:
o Managers and employees
o Human Resources
o Senior Leadership
o Occupational Health and Safety Managers or
Representatives
o Union/Non Union
o Communications representative
o Others with experience implementing
o Different levels of Management
o Champion and Sponsor

Page 13 of 61
Phase 2

Identifying your Opportunities to Make a Positive Difference

Page 14 of 61
 Analyzing existing data to
Phase 2- Identifying Your Opportunities to Make a Positive identify your strengths and
Difference areas for improvement.

Phase Two entails the determination of wellness indicators across the organization, selection of
actions, and specific objectives.

1. Establish your Baseline

Evaluate your organization’s current state and define its specific workplace needs to prioritize
requirements and focus on areas that can most help your employees and your organization. As
can be seen on page 45 in Assembling the Pieces, there are three elements to effectively
develop your organization’s Baseline:

I. Data Collection
II. Hazard Identification (i.e. gaps)
III. Data Analysis

How it is done Why it matters

o Use existing data. The PSES addresses the 13
psychosocial factors and the Areas of Focus.
o Guarding Minds @ Work is a Canadian tool
that includes both a six-item employer audit
and a comprehensive employee survey that
examines thirteen psychosocial risk factors.
Before launching any initiative it is important
to gain an understanding of your starting
point by collecting organizational information
relevant to PH&S. This will tell you where you
need to focus your efforts and will provide a
baseline for evaluating your effectiveness.

For questions or guidance, please contact the Wellness

Programs.

I. Data Collection
As can be examined on pages 47and 48 of Assembling the Pieces, the Data Collection process
must include documenting the data collected and the processes and methods used to collect
the data. This process is thoroughly explained and separated into two areas:

A. Aggregate Organizational Data

B. Existing Policies, Procedures, and Programs that support PH&S

II. Hazard Identification

It is important to establish a Risk Mitigation Process to identify all the potential workplace hazards
and to estimate and assess their risk to the employees. You can then examine preventive and
protective measures to either eliminate or effectively mitigate (reduce) the level of risk to the
employees. Please see page 68 of Assembling the Pieces for the practices and steps.

Page 15 of 61
III. Data and Trend Analysis
HC and the Agency’s Wellness Scorecard
Report are updated annually to provide a
review of the data and trends in the
organization. This report can be used as a
tool to engage in conversations/discussions
with employees at all levels, including Senior
Management. Your goal should be to
identify tangible and realistic solutions to
respond to issues and challenges that arise
in your organization, as well as build on best
practices.
TIP: To start the conversation, Senior
Managers, Managers and Employees
should address the three following
questions:
1. What is the data telling you?
2. What is it that you have been doing well?
3. Are there opportunities for improvement?
How it is done
A helpful strategy is to conduct an initial SWOT (please
see Appendix D) (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities
and Threats) analysis to identify internal and external
factors that may facilitate or impede action on PH&S:
Internal organizational characteristics likely to support
change can include employee feedback indicating
interest in:
o psychological health issues;
o positive outcomes of prior change initiatives; and
o alignment of PH&S with core strategic objectives, as
per your organization’s business plan.

Organizational Risk Assessment

Analysis of the annual report’s, such as the Wellness Scorecard provides a risk assessment from a
personal impact perspective and provides data related to the financial risk to the organization.

The Wellness Scorecard:

o Assesses the organization’s well-being over time;

o Records and compares core components integral to an organization’s focus;
o Identifies areas of strength and highlights areas requiring departmental attention; and
o Allows for trend analysis, program development and a review and understanding of the
workplace.

Conducting a risk assessment includes input from employees and employee representatives
considering employees are most familiar with their work operation and will be able to provide
helpful information and input as to what needs to be addressed.

Useful Tools
o Guarding Minds @ Work
o Recommended and Promising Practices for Situational Assessment Tools, Health Communication Unit, University of Toronto

Page 16 of 61
Phase 3

Building your Action Plan

Page 17 of 61
Phase 3 - Building your Action Plan – Identifying your Building your Action Plan which
Objectives includes your vision, objectives,
targets for improvement and
In this phase, you will develop your organization’s Multi-Year
training requirements.
Mental Health Action Plan, to advance the implementation of
the Standard.

1. Develop Vision
It is important to develop your overall Vision. What is it that you’d like to achieve, what might it
look like, and how long might it take you to achieve? Ideally, this Vision is something that is
created with input and approval from senior leadership and representation from the entire
workforce. This vision can be expressed by way of commitment letter from you Champion as an
introduction to your Multi-Year Mental Health Action Plan (Please see Appendix E).

For a more detailed approach for developing your vision, please see page 73 in MHCC’s Assembling the
Pieces.

2. Set Objectives
When establishing your objectives and targets, think about your available assets (time, money,
and people). Provide a realistic representation of your available resources and the degree of
effort required. It’s far better to choose a small number of achievable objectives and see some
success, than having too many targets for the organization to address effectively. It’s not about
the number of objectives – it’s about putting a system in place to address issues over time and
see continual improvement in your workforce.

How it is done:
A common framework is to consider three to five high-level longer-term objectives and
then separate them into shorter-term achievable targets.

Consider the longer-term objective of improving the organization’s response to critical

incidents. Having all front-line managers undergo Mental Health First Aid training may be
one step of this plan. This could be broken into shorter-term training targets as follow: a six-
month target of training all one hundred of the front-line managers located in the Eastern
District; and a target for year two training all of the Western-located managers. (See
Appendix F for Mental Health First Aid).

3. Develop Your Multi-Year Mental Health Action Plan

An action plan can be thought of as a number of smaller plans or components with details,
roles, and responsibilities established, resources determined (financial and human), and timelines
and milestones established. Once all of these components are added together, it becomes a
strong and thorough action plan that addresses the Standard, the Five Areas of Focus (page
10), your data collection, and can then become implemented across your organization! This is a
Multi-Year Action Plan, as it entails a process of continuous improvement.

Page 18 of 61
Build Employee Resilience
Resilience is the ability to cope effectively with the stress of difficult life experiences. Resilient
people overcome adversity quickly, ‘bounce back’ from setbacks, and can thrive under
ongoing pressure without acting in dysfunctional or harmful ways. Such individuals are not
untouched by stressful circumstances, but are quicker to return to equilibrium.

How it is done Why it matters

This step is achieved through training.
Contact the Wellness Programs for schedule or ad hoc
sessions.
Resilience is a critical factor for the
organizational bottom line. Staff members with
low resilience are more likely to exhibit illness
and disability, higher absence and turnover,
and reduced engagement and productivity.
Highly resilient employees more easily adapt to
change, find ways to overcome adversity, and
are more engaged and productive.

Important outcomes of resiliency training are:

o Self-regulation: Ability to manage emotional responses so they contribute to

appropriate action rather than blocking it.

o Efficient problem solving: Ability to identify and implement a range of possible solutions
and modify as needed.

o Self-efficacy: Confidence in one’s skills and capacity to deal with challenges.

o Social support: Ability to accept assistance from others and provide support in turn.

Useful Tools
o The Road to Resilience, American Psychological Association

Page 19 of 61
 4. Create a Respectful Workplace
A respectful work environment is one where employees and employers treat one another with
respect, consideration, and tolerance. It is based on an organizational culture that recognizes
diversity (Appendix G), expects courteous communication, and effectively addresses
disrespectful behaviour, discrimination, harassment, and bullying.

How it is done Why it matters

o Your business plan should reflect the Multi-Year Diversity Respectful workplaces
Employment Equity Plan enhance employee
morale and job
• HC 2014 – 2017 Multi-Year Diversity and Employment satisfaction, teamwork,
Equity Plan labour and employee-
management relations,
• PHAC 2014 – 2017 Multi-Year Diversity and Employment absenteeism and
Equity Plan turnover.

o Values and Ethics Climate Survey and Dialogue is

recommended as a team-building exercise for groups who
want to take stock of their work, values, customs, and
teammate relationships.

o The Informal Conflict Management Office strives to provide

services to help people resolve conflicts fairly, quickly, simply,
cost effectively and at the lowest possible level.

o Contact the Labour Relations team for advice and guidance

on: performance management, leave issues, discipline, return
to work, accommodation, grievance, conflict of interest,
harassment, strike management, collective agreements.

o Looking to contact one of the Wellness programs? Check out

the available resource page (see Appendix H).

Mental Health First Aid Training

Mental Health First Aid Training is the help provided to a person developing a mental health
problem or experiencing a mental health crisis. It does not train people to become counselors or
therapists. Similar to physical first aid, we need to ensure that there is someone close-by who can
intervene in the event of a crisis or identify an emerging health problem in our communities and
in our workplaces.

Useful Tools
o Anti-Harassment Policies for the Workplace: An Employer’s Guide, Canadian Human Rights Commission:
o Let’s Talk: A Guide to Resolving Workplace Conflicts, Alberta Department of Employment and Immigration
o Mental Health First Aid, Mental Health Commission of Canada
o Helping Raise Awareness & Reduce Stigma, Great-West Life Centre for Mental Health – Workplace Strategies for Mental Health

Page 20 of 61
 5. Prevention
Prevention refers to the actions taken to prevent the occurrence of significant psychological
problems or mental health illness. These actions are designed to prevent the onset or reduce the
severity of psychological health problems in the workplace.

The three kinds of prevention are:

I. Primary
II. Secondary
III. Tertiary

I. Primary Prevention
Primary prevention changes individual or organizational conditions that may contribute to
psychological health problems, thus reducing the likelihood that problems may occur. This
involves identifying and reducing the presence of risks followed by enhancing the capacity to
manage remaining risks.

A. Provide Stress Management Training

How it is done Why it matters

Stress management training is usually provided
in a group setting and focuses on: (i)
controlling distressing or dysfunctional thoughts
and emotions triggered by stressful work or
personal factors; and (ii) the use of effective
problem-solving strategies to identify and
address workplace or personal stressors.
If we can provide employees with enhanced
skills for dealing more effectively with personal
and workplace stressors, we may well be able
to prevent the onset of significant personal
distress and functional difficulties as well as
more serious psychological problems and
common mental disorders.

(See Appendix I for Stress Management Training).

For questions, please contact the Wellness

Programs.

B. Support Work-Life Balance

Work-life balance refers to people having a
sense of control over how they manage their
work and personal lives. It exists when the
value of a filled life both inside and outside
work is respected and understood to be
beneficial for the individual, the employer,
and society.
How it is done
There are a number of effective actions that
can help maintain work-life balance, such as
providing inclusive and flexible work hours
with management approval.

Useful Tools
o Useful information for employers, managers and employees on work-home balance
o Work-life Balance in Canada, Health Canada
o HC/PHAC teleworking arrangement

II. Secondary Prevention

Secondary prevention identifies and addresses psychological health problems when they are in
a relatively mild state or early stage, so that a fast response will forestall more serious problems.

Page 21 of 61
 A. Provide Self-Care Tools
B. Provide Manager Training
C. Provide Early Intervention through EAP

A. Provide Self-Care Tools

HC and PHAC’s self-care tools, such as the Mental Health Passport are designed to teach
individuals how to manage their own psychological well-being, such as addressing difficulties
with mood or anxiety.

How it is done Why it matters

Tools for psychological self-care are instructional in nature, Research indicates that
teaching the depressed or anxious employee skills for individuals with psychological
managing psychological difficulties, and are based on distress or mild dysfunction have
cognitive behavioural change methods. Skills taught include: more ability to cope with their
own problems especially if they
o behavioural activation (setting goals to increase social or obtain self-care tools.
physical activities);
o problem solving (structured techniques for responding to
challenging situations);
o realistic thinking (overcoming thought patterns that are
unfairly self-critical or unrealistically pessimistic); and
o relaxation (increasing one’s capacity for winding down
and self-calming).

Useful Tools
o Antidepressant Skills at Work
o E-Couch, online CBT site, Australian National University

B. Provide Manager Training

It is critical to give managers the knowledge and skills needed to respond appropriately to
employees showing behaviours that may indicate a psychological health or safety issue.

For helpful resources, please visit the Mental Health First Aid in the Workplace: Manager's Guide.

How it is done Why it matters

Manager skills should include:
o recognizing workplace behaviours that may
reflect a PH&S issue;
o engaging in useful conversations with distressed
employees (‘I noticed…’ ‘How can I help?’ ’Can
we follow up?’);
o respecting privacy and human rights;
o familiarizing with organizational policies and
resources pertaining to PH&S; and
Employees with patterns of declining or
inconsistent job performance,
interpersonal difficulties or other
uncharacteristic behaviours may have
psychological health issues, including
the presence of an emerging or
underlying mental health issues.

Page 22 of 61
How it is done (cont’d) Why it matters
o assisting workers with psychological disability to Manager response, or lack of response,
return to work in a safe and sustainable fashion. determines whether the situation
worsens, perhaps leading to a
Contact the Wellness Programs for more information. grievance, accident or extended
absence and disability.

Useful Tools
o Managing Mental Health Matters, Great-West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace – Workplace Strategies for Mental
Health
o What You Need to Know about Mental Health: A Tool for Managers, Conference Board of Canada
o ICMS + V & E Conversation Tools

C. Provide Early Intervention through

EAP What is EAP?
Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) is
an excellent resource for enhancing To reach your EAP, call 1-800-268-7708.
early intervention: employees can seek
EAP counseling at an initial stage of TDD/ATME 1-800-567-5803 for the hearing impaired
distress. The Employee Assistance
Services (EAS) provides the Employee EAP is available 24 hours 365 days a year,
Assistance Program (EAP) to assist anywhere in Canada.
employees with personal and work-
related problems that can affect their EAP provides assistance with situations such as:
physical and emotional well-being as
well as work performance. The EAP is o Marital and family relationships
available to employees, members of o Work life balance
their immediate family and to retirees up
o Psychological health
to three months from the date of
o Work-related
retirement. The EAP provides short-term
professional counseling service - it is
voluntary, free, bilingual and CONFIDENTIAL.

How it is done Why it matters

There are several strategies employers can use to It is important to address psychological
assist employees who are dealing with psychological health problems at an initial stage, when
health issues: the individual may be experiencing
o Create opportunities to have conversations emotional distress and some functional
about Stay at work strategies. difficulty.
o Provide accommodation.
o Provide information to support the decision to
take health-related leave.
o Continued support after return to work.

Useful Tools
o Brief Intervention for Hazardous and Harmful Drinking, WHO
o PHQ-9 Screen for Depression

Page 23 of 61
 III. Tertiary Prevention
Tertiary Prevention reduces the distress and dysfunction associated with an identified mental
disorder. An individual who obtains appropriate treatment, effective rehabilitation and
supported return to work is less likely to experience lasting negative impacts.

A. Support Staying at Work

B. Provide Coordinated Disability Management

A. Support Staying at Work

Provide ongoing support for employees with psychological health issues to stay at work and, if
they do need to take time off work, to return in a timely, safe and sustainable manner.

Benefits of Staying at Work Costs - Behaviour

Removed from occupational stresses/conflicts
Allows time to focus on activities conducive to
recovery
Reduces risk of accident/injury/incident
Promotes inactivity and loss of
confidence/competence
Isolates from co-workers and role
Skills may decline or new skills may not be
learned

How it is done Why it matters

There are several strategies employers can use
to assist employees who are dealing with
psychological health issues:
o Create opportunities to have conversations
about Stay at work strategies.
o Provide accommodation.
o Provide information to support the decision
to take health-related leave.
Work is an important part of our identity. It
provides a sense of purpose, structure and
opportunities to interact with others. Time off
due to illness or disability is disruptive and may
undermine our mental health. If an employee
is dealing with psychological issues, it is best to
support them at work, if possible – and if they
need to take time off work, to stay connected
with them and support them to return as
quickly as is safe and appropriate.

B. Provide Coordinated Disability Management

An important goal of tertiary prevention is to address the disabling effect of common mental
disorders on employees who may need to go off work. Managing the disabling impact of these
disorders will be more effective if there is a well-coordinated process in place, with ongoing
communication and smooth integration among health care providers, managers, human
resources personnel, union representatives, employees and other key participants.

Page 24 of 61
How it is done Why it matters
One way to enhance coordination is to designate The Disability Management Program
or contract with a Stay at Work/Return to Work focuses on absences from work as a result
(SAW/RTW) Coordinator who leads efforts to allow of illness, injury or disability, and on
distressed workers to stay at work while being preventing the risks that cause these
supported in dealing with psychological health absences. The three components of
problems or efforts to ensure timely and successful disability management are
work return for those who do need to be off for accommodation, prevention, and support
longer periods. for recovery.

For assistance in managing injury, illness and disability

cases, please contact –the Disability Management
Office (DMO).

For accommodation, please contact the Duty to

Accommodate Coordinator.

Useful Tools
o A Place for All – A Guide to Creating an Inclusive Workplace, Canadian Human Rights Commission
o Accommodations for People with Mental Health Problems, Mental Health Works
o DEEP
o Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

Page 25 of 61
Phase 4

Implementing your Action Plan and a Process for Continuous Improvement

Page 26 of 61
Phase 4- Implementing Your Action Plan and a Process for Continuous Improvement
In phase 4 of the implementation process, some key factors will be presented to manage the
ongoing work, guidance and a sustainable PHSMS.
Corrective and preventive action
A. Establish a Performance Monitoring Process
B. Internal Audits process, performance monitoring
C. Management Review process process and management review
D. Plan your Evaluation process.
E. Measure Short- and Longer-Term Outcomes
F. Continuous Improvement

1. Key Factors for a Successful Implementation

The Action Team
o You do not need to be an expert in mental health to discuss and develop psychologically
healthy and safe workplace solutions.

o Teams are a very good approach. Bring in others and establish a team with a common goal.
Don’t try to do everything on your own. Empower the team to make decisions and take
action.

o Have an all staff meeting to communicate to employees and ask for input on your
objectives, targets, and activities. If you work in a unionized environment, strengthen your
commitment message by having a jointly hosted union and non-union kick-off meeting.

o Have review meetings on a scheduled basis with all the stakeholders and action team
(advisory committee, Project Lead, Champions, corporate services and programs that
support your initiatives, Leaders, etc. involved in the various activities). At the start of your
work, these meetings should occur frequently (weekly or biweekly) to uncover challenges
and possible problems as early as possible.

o Schedule your meetings well in advance and ensure you have clearly communicated your
expectations to the action team at the start. Keep your meetings as short as possible, be
respectful of your team members’ time, and work on having a positive and safe environment
for all workers to feel comfortable speaking freely.

o Ensure confidentiality and privacy of individuals remains a priority in all discussions.

o Celebrate progress with the group. You may want to create initial goals that show quick
successes and then celebrate these successes to help build momentum and engagement.

o Keep it bite sized. Begin with two or three main priorities. Don’t try to do too many things at
once. It can be hard to contain the enthusiasm and ideas at the outset, but try to manage
this. It is far better to choose a lesser number of priorities and do them well than attempt to
tackle too many things and not be able to accomplish your goals. Remember, this is a journey,
not a check list.

Page 27 of 61
 2. The Implementation of the Plan

o Don’t get lost in the details. Start at the beginning. Develop a three year plan with key
milestones and improve and review as you go.

o Don’t overlook all of the good things you already have in place within your organization. You
may already be much farther along than you think. Don’t reinvent the wheel if you don’t
have to. Keep the Wellness Programs on your speed dial!

o Set realistic expectations and be patient. It will take time to foster the culture change you
are looking for. Manage the expectations of yourself, your team members, and others.

o Use the Mental Health and Wellness in the Workplace Working Group as a forum for
discussions, learning and sharing best practices. Ask questions, exchange ideas!

o Show how each employee can contribute to positive change by talking about PH&S in the
workplace.

o Focus discussions on workplace practices and processes that are part of the day-to-day
experience in the workplace, not on individual health issues.

o Improve communication and facilitation skills for leading discussions. The Great-West Life
Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace has developed a program called On the Agenda
that can help support competence in these areas.

A) Establish a Performance Monitoring Process

The purpose of performance monitoring and measurement is to obtain qualitative and
quantitative measurements of:

a) the PH&S of the organization (promotion, prevention and intervention efforts); and
b) organizational conformance to this Standard including process evaluation.

For additional steps to take in the performance monitoring process, please see page 115 in Assembling the Pieces.

B) Internal Audits
The Standard describes the need to create an Internal Audit Process for your PHSMS to ensure
that you comply with the mandatory elements of the Standard. An internal audit of your system
is a good way to see the progress of your PHSMS and get ideas for your continual improvement
plans. While the Standard doesn’t describe the frequency of the internal audits, doing them
annually would be a good way to start. An Audit Tool is included in Chapter 5 in Assembling the
Pieces with all of the mandatory requirements of the Standard. This can be a framework for your
Internal Audit Process.

Page 28 of 61
 C) Management Review Process
The third and final review process that needs to be created for your PHSMS is a Management
Review Process. This is critical to ensure continuing support and direction for your PHSMS.

A Management Review is a formalized, complete system review at a high, big picture, level. The
review is carried out by the Senior Leadership and ensures an ongoing review of relevant
policies, procedures, results, and deficiencies. Many organizations carry out Management
Review meetings as part of their scheduled senior staff meetings quarterly or annually.

Tip:

The key questions a Management Review aims to answer are:

1. Is the system working as currently implemented?
2. Is it suitable and effective given our means and resources?
3. Is it still relevant to our organization or are changes needed?
4. Is it achieving its intended outcomes?

For assistance in managing injury, illness and disability cases, please contact the
Disability Management Office (DMO).

This component involves evaluating the impact of actions with respect to PH&S in the
organization. The results of this stage allow for the modifications of actions when they are not
meeting objectives. We use the term ‘process’ because:
o The evaluation phase of a workplace initiative is the time to process what has occurred
and the results obtained to guide further action; and employer-generated initiatives are
best suited to process evaluation, which focuses on the process of change rather than
final outcomes.
o Ultimately, it is a process of ongoing innovation, feedback, and refinement.

For a more detailed approach on management review, please see page 120 in Assembling the Pieces.

D) Plan Your Evaluation

In the Planning stage you will have decided what kind of evaluation makes sense for your
organization. The Project Leads should identify the purposes of the evaluation before initiating
the action plan. This way, your team will have a clear and useful answer when asked, ‘Did it
work?’

Why it matters
Evaluating your intervention will enable you to demonstrate that it made an important
difference. The basic question is: ‘How will we know whether these actions have made a
difference?’ Or, ‘How will we know whether our investment paid off?’ Answering questions like
this provides a basis for continued investment of time and energy in PH&S programs.

Useful Tools
o Evaluating Comprehensive Health Promotion Efforts, Workplace Mental Health Promotion Guide, Canadian Mental Health
Association Ontario
o Evaluating Comprehensive Workplace Health Promotion – Info-pack, Health Communication Unit, University of Toronto
o Evaluation Worksheet, Guarding Minds @ Work

Page 29 of 61
 E) Measure Short- and Longer-Term Outcomes
There may be an extended delay, months or perhaps even years, before substantive changes in
organizational psychological health can be observed. Those kind of changes are longer-term
outcomes and may be too delayed to supply information about intervention effectiveness when
the information is needed for planning, therefore short-term outcomes might include the number
of employees volunteering to participate in a resilience workshop, satisfaction ratings by
employees who have participated in a workshop or other intervention, self-rated changes in
stress levels by participating employees after a few months, or changes in system-level factors.

How it is done Why it matters

o Short-term outcomes. Project Leads will need to It takes a while to observe changes
decide what represents a meaningful short-term time in trailing indicators like
span. This might involve doing outcome measurement absenteeism or disability rates. By
at the three- or six-month mark after carrying out the also focusing on short-term
action(s). This can be carried out, as per your action outcomes, valuable feedback is
plan. provided that can be useful for
improving interventions on an
o There are two straightforward ways to measure short- ongoing basis and providing
term outcomes: evidence to leaders that it’s worth
o First, re-do the Guarding Minds @ Work promoting and utilizing PH&S
Organizational Audit, or use existing data and programs and policies.
determine whether the results now look more
positive in light of the interventions you have
undertaken. For example; have
accommodation guidelines been clarified for
individuals returning from absence related to
psychological health problems; is there
improved access to mental health care; and is
there appropriate participation by staff in PH&S
training?

o Second, gather qualitative data by conducting

focus groups with key supervisory or frontline
staff. The process of engaging employees in
the evaluative process can be a powerful
intervention in itself. One way to achieve this is
by holding Idea Jam sessions.

Longer-term outcomes. After a few cycles of action,

measurement and improvement, meet with the project
leads and other key stakeholders to reach an overall
judgment on how well the intervention process is working.
This is a good time to examine some longer-term
outcomes (e.g., decreased absenteeism, decreased rate
or duration of mental health disability leaves, increased
retention, etc.).

Useful Tools
o Select an Evaluation Strategy, Canadian Mental Health Association Ontario
o Ten Steps to Evaluating a Health Promotion Program, Health Communication Unit, University of Toronto

Page 30 of 61
 F) Continuous Improvement
Even where workplace interventions have been successful, it is challenging to ensure that they
are sustained. Lasting change requires communicating and sustaining actions shown to protect
PH&S. Successful actions should be celebrated and incorporated into ongoing practice. The aim
is to incorporate a continuous improvement cycle that will keep the psychological health
initiative alive and relevant to changing conditions.

Outcomes should be well-documented; effectively communicated to key decision-makers and

championed by influential players i.e. communications from senior management, managers,
and supervisors. \

Support Champions and Communities of Practice

A champion is someone in your organization who encourages others to adopt new programs or
practices, is seen by staff and management as highly credible, and helps to change attitudes
and behaviours. A Working Group is a way of drawing people together to solve problems in a
specific area. Some members of the Working Group in psychological safety will be experts in
OHS or psychological health, but others may have particular expertise in employee rights,
human resources policy, EAP, organizational changes affecting employee stress, etc.

In addition to the Advisory Committee, the MHWW Working Group can function as a forum to
invite Key Wellness Stakeholders (i.e. subject matter experts).

How it is done Why it matters

Champions will be more effective when they are A MHWW Working Group will have more
working with a community of individuals within your capacity to sustain change especially
organization to determine the best approach, when combined with champions who
communicate it to others, and make sure that it is promote PH&S interventions.
continued. A Working Group may already be
present to support existing health and safety or
professional activities and may expand to take on
PH&S. It may be created by individuals participating
in resiliency training or stress management
workshops, or built up by invitations from action
group members, and fostered by a page on an
organizational intranet website. Key features of
Working Groups are their stability and cohesion over
time, although individual members may come and
go. The group does not only gather for one-time
meetings, but maintains stable relationships of
knowledge-sharing.

Useful Tools
o Identify a Champion, A Leadership Project for Advancing Workplace Mental Health, Mental Health Commission of Canada
o The Roundtable on Workplace Mental Health
o Prevention & Promotion, Championing a Health Workplace, Great-West Life Centre for Mental Health - Workplace Strategies for
Mental Health

Page 31 of 61
Create a Culture of Psychological Safety

A culture of psychological safety is one in which there is a shared commitment to the impor-
tance of promoting and protecting the psychological well-being and safety of employees by
taking actions to identify and address risks.

How it is done Why it matters

A psychologically healthy and safe culture The concept of a “culture of psychological
may be enhanced in a number of ways: safety” originated in high-hazard industries,
where accidents have severe consequences
o Ongoing leadership commitment. Creation for employees and the public. It was realized
of a psychologically safety culture requires that the sustainability of health and safety
that leadership commitment is maintained activities depended on a set of common
over the long term (i.e. ongoing organizational values and practices regarding
communication). Two-way the importance of health and safety.
communication. Establish an organizational
climate in which employees are willing to
report concerns, issues and incidents that
may compromise the PH&S of employees
or clients (i.e. create employee Advisory
Committee).

o Learning approach. Ongoing efforts to

understand the causes and consequences
of safety incidents. Please see OHS Training.

o Employee involvement. Staff members

need to have input in and responsibility for
PH&S within their workplace.

o Attitude towards blame. How an

organization deals with policy violations is
an indication of its safety culture. Please see
the Values and Ethics Codes.

Useful Tools
o Safety Culture Checklist, Transport Canada
o Webinar on Shaping a Safety Culture, Dr. Graham Lowe
o Toolkit for Creating and Measuring a Safety Culture, UK Health and Safety Executive

Page 32 of 61
Congratulations!

You’ve just read through a toolkit filled with complex, yet useful material. It’s okay if you only
read a section that seemed especially relevant – that’s what toolkits are for!

The Assembling the Pieces Implementation Toolkit pertains

to the protection of employees’ psychological health and
safety. While significant progress has been made over the For any questions, please contact the
last 100 years in decreasing rates of accidents and illness Wellness Programs
related to risks posed by workplace conditions or worker
behaviours, it is our mission to continue to improving and
help others along the way!

In fact, if you identified three or four actions worth serious consideration by your organization,
that’s a great outcome.

We hope this toolkit will prove helpful in your efforts to enhance psychological health and safety.
If so, it will benefit both the psychological health of your employees and the financial health of
your organization.

Remember these key messages:

o HC and the Agency strive to build and sustain healthy, respectful, inclusive, safe and
productive workplaces, which are core values in action and a priority for both organizations.

o Remember; this is a journey, not a checkmark list!

o Key success factors from the MHCC:

 Integrate mental health processes/policies into regular change management

practices
 Start where you think you can achieve most result
 Keep it bite sized
 Align with organizational strategic priorities

Page 33 of 61
Appendix A:
Examples of Management Charters

Page 34 of 61
Appendix A

Page 35 of 61
Appendix A

Page 36 of 61
Appendix A

Page 37 of 61
 Appendix B:
Examples of Engagement Messages to Employees

Page 38 of 61
 Appendix B

Health Canada

As your deputies, we want you to know that we are committed to promoting and creating a workplace
culture where all employees are treated with respect and dignity.

Workplace Wellness is something that affects everyone, managers and employees alike, and the mental
well-being and safety of our employees are fundamental to organizational success.

In that regard, in the Clerk of the Privy Council’s Twenty Second Annual Report, one of her three priorities
for action in the coming year is on improving mental health, with an emphasis on building a healthy,
respectful and supportive environment that encourages stigma-free dialogue. Your senior leaders are
dedicated to achieving this goal.

In order to attain this goal, there are a number of resources available to Health Canada employees on the
Workplace Wellness site, to assist and guide employees in addressing well-being openly, and to shape
an environment where everyone feels safe and productive at work.

The launching of the Workplace Wellness resources is timely as it will address concerns raised
throughout many Blueprint 2020 discussions, and will also support the responses to the latest Public
Service Employee Survey (PSES) results, recently released. The PSES results indicate that we need to
further advance the work being done in specific areas such as: Respectful and Ethical Workplace;
Harassment and Discrimination; Duty to Accommodate; Collective Agreements and Labour Relations. For
more information on the departmental PSES results, please see the PSES Section on our intranet.

In our continued efforts to collectively build healthy work teams, branch heads have committed to
implement the National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace (the Standard)
Department-wide. The Standard helps employers promote positive mental health and prevent
psychological harm to employees in the workplace.

This is our workplace and together we can make a difference in building a healthy, respectful, inclusive,
safe and productive workplace. To find out more about the array of services and resources available to all
employees, please visit the Workplace Wellness section of the intranet.

Simon Kennedy Paul Glover

Deputy Minister Associate Deputy Minister

Page 39 of 61
 Appendix B

Public Health Agency of Canada

Dear Colleagues,

Workplace wellness is something that affects everyone, managers and employees alike.

At the Agency, the senior management team truly believes that the physical and mental well-being and
safety of our employees are fundamental to organizational success and sustainability. That is why we are
committed to taking a leadership role in promoting and creating a workplace environment where all
employees are treated with respect and dignity.

The organization has over time put in place a wide range of services and resources for our employees in
order to ensure that they have access to help and assistance when they are needed. Creating these
resources has been a crucial first step. We now need to make sure all employees are aware of these
services and feel encouraged to use them.

The launching of the Workplace Wellness resources ties in well with the recent release of the latest Public
Service Employee Survey (PSES) results. The PSES results indicate that we need to further advance the
work being done in specific areas such as: Respectful and Ethical Workplace; Harassment and
Discrimination; Duty to Accommodate; Collective Agreements and Labour Relations. For more
information on the departmental PSES results, please see the PSES Section on our Intranet.

Regrouped under the umbrella of “Workplace Wellness”, these resources and services are aimed at
helping us discuss well-being and shaping an environment in which everyone feels safe and productive at
work. For a listing of these services, please refer to the Workplace Wellness Resources page, available
on the Agency’s Intranet site.

We all need to learn more about and how we can improve workplace wellness, both personally and
professionally. Mental health in the workplace, conflict of interest, informal conflict management, labour
relations, disability management, the Office of the Ombudsman, occupational health and safety and the
many other components and resources of workplace wellness need to be better addressed.

As a result, the Agency has recently communicated with the Mental Health Commission of Canada about
our plans to implement the National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace (the
Standard) Agency-wide. The Standard helps employers to promote good mental health and prevent
psychological harm for every employee in the workplace.

Together, we are building a healthy, respectful, inclusive, safe and productive workplace. To find out
more about the array of services and resources available to all employees, please visit the Workplace
Wellness section of the Intranet.

Krista Outhwaite Dr. Gregory Taylor

President Chief Public Health Officer

Page 40 of 61
 Appendix B

Corporate Services Branch

(Health Canada)

Colleagues,

In my message of Monday regarding Mental Health Week, I shared my resolve for CSB to lead the way in
promoting positive mental health and physical safety in the workplace.

I am pleased to announce that CSB will be piloting the National Standard for Psychological Health and
Safety in the Workplace (the Standard). We are one of 4 branches to do so and this will support our
strategic priority “A work environment where employees excel".
What is the Standard?
Championed by the Mental Health Commission of Canada, the Standard aims to:
o prevent psychological harm from conditions in the workplace;
o promote psychological health in the workplace through support; and
o provide assessment tools, resources, guides, and specific steps to help organizations create and
sustain a psychologically safe and healthy workplace.

What does this mean for CSB?

Piloting the standard is about having an action plan to reinforce workplace wellness practices and
behaviours in order to build and sustain a healthy, respectful, inclusive, safe and productive
workplace.

Specifically we will:
• Demonstrate my and the entire executive team's commitment to this initiative
• Work with you all to explain the standard and how, together, we can make it a reality
• Build on the PSES results to identify key areas of focus
• Raise awareness of tools and services available
• Offer Mental Health First Aid training more broadly
• Create an action plan and report regularly to you all on our progress

To do this, we will need a small team to support the activities and a broader advisory group to help
ensure that we engage right across CSB in all regions.

I strongly believe that the physical and mental health, well-being, and safety of our employees are
fundamental for our success. I look forward to taking this journey with you.

Page 41 of 61
 Appendix B

Regions and Programs Bureau

(Health Canada)

Message from the A/SDG to: All RAPB Employees

I am thrilled to announce that the Regions and Programs Bureau will be participating in Health Canada's
pilot of the National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace.

Did You Know?

• On any given week, more than 500,000 Canadians will not go to work because of mental illness
• More than 30% of disability claims and 70% of disability costs are attributed to mental illness.
• Approximately $51 billion each year are lost to the Canadian economy because of mental illness.

Championed by the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC), and developed by the Canadian
Standards Association (CSA) and the Bureau normalization du Quebec (BNQ), the Standard is a
voluntary set of guidelines, tools and resources focused on promoting employees' psychological health
and preventing psychological harm due to workplace factors. Health Canada was a key contributor to the
development of the Standard, so it is no surprise that it joins several other federal departments in piloting
the standard.

Mental health problems and illnesses are the leading cause of short‐ and long‐term disability in Canada
and the toll on Canadian workers and workplaces is substantial. Our workplace plays an essential part in
maintaining positive mental health.

Working in concert with practices already in place at Health Canada, this Standard provides a framework
to create and continually improve a psychologically healthy and safe workplace. The benefits of a
psychologically healthy workplace include not only increased productivity and performance, but also
improved employee retention and organizational excellence.

Some actions already underway include:

• The Mental Health First Aid training, first piloted in RAPB, to help us better understand and
support colleagues and employees.
• The upcoming 2014 Public Service Employee Survey and other tools that will be instrumental in
this identifying those hazards and risk factors in the workplace that impact on our mental health.

RAPB is already seen as leader in psychological health and safety through its Specialized Health
Services (EAS, PSOHP, OCISM) and we will rely on this in-house expertise as we implement the
Standard.

I encourage you to review the Standard and its annexes to get a better understanding of this valuable
initiative.

As the pilot unfolds, the Executive Team and I will share details on how the Standard will be put into
practice in RAPB.

RAPB's greatest strength is its people, so I am excited that RAPB employees will be some of the first to
benefit from Health Canada's commitment to promote and protect employees' psychological health and
safety.

Page 42 of 61
 Appendix B

Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention Branch

(Public Health Agency of Canada)

Dear Colleagues,

I am writing to invite you to join me in regular discussions of mental health and well-being in our Branch. I
have been reflecting on our PSES results and on the pioneering work of the Centre for Health Promotion
in implementing the National Psychological Standard on Health and Safety in the Workplace.

I know we all value and need a work environment that is supportive and respectful, and I am committed to
working with all of you to build and reinforce this in our Branch. After all, we work every day to support the
well-being of Canadians. Why would we not be equally committed to supporting our own well-being?

I believe that a culture that is health promoting requires trust and that trust comes with opening up the
dialogue. It comes with self-reflection and understanding how our own behaviours can affect our
colleagues. It comes by allowing ourselves the time to address our own challenges as well as share the
positive things in our environment.

So today I am inviting you to talk with me about our workplace environment through monthly dialogues.

Let me know by responding to this e-mail if you would like to be involved and I'll start putting this together.

Thanks!

Kimberly Elmslie
Assistant Deputy Minister
Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention Branch

Page 43 of 61
 Appendix C:
The Mental Health and Wellness in the Workplace Working Groups’ Terms of Reference

Page 44 of 61
 Appendix C
Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada
Mental Health and Wellness in the Workplace Working Group

Terms of Reference

Available soon.

Page 45 of 61
Appendix D:
The SWOT Analysis

Page 46 of 61
 Appendix D

The SWOT Analysis

Definition
The SWOT analysis is a useful tool to understand the organization and the situations that affect it
and to address them appropriately. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and
Threats. It is used as an analysis to identify internal and external factors that may facilitate or
impede action on Psychological Health and Safety.

Process
The SWOT Analysis starts with an inventory of internal strengths and weaknesses. While strengths
capture the positive aspects which add value to HC/PHAC, weaknesses describe the negative
aspects that detract from the value the organization brings. Then, participants identify the
external opportunities and threats that may influence the organization. Threats are challenges
created by an unfavorable trend or development that may negatively impact productivity.

Outcome
Facilitators will engage stakeholders in an environmental scan of internal and external factors
that may have an impact on the situation to be addressed: reducing gaps or sustaining
inclusion. Participants will view the organization in a new light and identify three regional or
branch-specific priorities to maximize strengths and opportunities while minimizing the impacts of
weaknesses and threats. Here are some tips to help you further:

1. Be prepared: Get your facts and figures in place before you do the analysis.
2. Be comprehensive: Include all details, from the smallest ones (e.g. for issues at the
most micro level like discussions in your team) to large ones (e.g. for new
government regulation) that can impact your work.
3. Be self-critical: SWOT analysis is there to stimulate critical reflection. Be open and
don’t get defensive. It is normal to have weaknesses as well as strengths, and to see
both threats and opportunities.
4. Repeat the analysis: As you go on with your work, new learnings and factors are
bound to come up. Re-visit the SWOT Analysis to align your work and its course.

Strengths
Advantages, People,
Experience Knowledge,
Awareness, Innovation,
Value-Added, Processes,
Systems, Communications,
Culture, Management,
Philosophy, Values
Weaknesses
Disadvantages
Capacity Gaps
Reputation, Vulnerabilities
Timelines, Pressures
Budget, Reliability
Morale, Commitment
Leadership

Opportunities Threats
Competition Legislative Environment
Trends Information Technology
Technology, Globalization Market Demand
New markets, Vital Contracts and
Information Partners
Research Sustaining Capacity
Partnerships Obstacles
Economy

Page 47 of 61
Appendix E:
Multi-Year Mental Health Action Plan

Page 48 of 61
Appendix E

Page 49 of 61
Appendix E

Page 50 of 61
Appendix E

Page 51 of 61
Appendix F:
Mental Health First Aid Training

Page 52 of 61
 Appendix F

Mental Health First Aid Training

Mental Health First Aid is the help provided to a person developing a mental health
problem or experiencing a mental health crisis. Just as physical first aid is administered
to an injured person before medical treatment can be obtained, MHFA is provided until
appropriate support is found.

Colleagues and managers are best placed to be the first to recognize the signs and
symptoms of mental health issues in their co-workers, provided they are properly trained
in Mental Health First Aid.

MHFA trained employees will be able to:

o Recognize and understand the symptoms of mental health problems, including

those related to substance use.
o Provide help to prevent the mental health problem from developing into a more
serious state.
o Promote the recovery of good mental health by accommodating employees in
distress or recovering from a crisis.
o Increase productivity and reduce absenteeism and overall pressure on benefits.

Page 53 of 61
Appendix G:
Four Layers of Diversity

Page 54 of 61
 Appendix G

The Four Layers of Diversity

The model describes four levels:

1-Personality: Innate characteristics that provide us with inimitable style.
2-Internal dimensions: Aspects of our life over which we have little or no influence.
3-External dimensions: influences through society and one’s own life experiences.
4-Organizational dimensions: One’s status and experiences within the organization.

Different life experiences and value systems lead to different decisions and behaviors in the
workplace. The model is suited to enhance one’s own awareness of what characterizes an individual
and for self-description.
o The model can also help managers understand that diversity comprises many characteristics of
people at work. They will seek to understand these factors and dimensions of diversity to
ensure they are bringing out all aspects of an individual’s talents and abilities in support of the
organization’s mission and goals.

Page 55 of 61
 Appendix H:
The Health, Safety, and Wellness Resource Page

Page 56 of 61
 Appendix H

The Health, Safety, and Wellness Resource Page

Page 57 of 61
Appendix I:
Stress Management Training

Page 58 of 61
 Appendix I

Stress Management Training

Why it matters
If we can provide employees with enhanced skills for dealing more effectively with personal and
workplace stressors, we may well be able to prevent the onset of significant personal distress and
functional difficulties as well as more serious psychological problems and common mental disorders.

How it is done
Stress management training is usually provided in a group setting and focus on:
(i) Controlling of distressing or dysfunctional thoughts and emotions triggered by stressful work
and personal factors; and
(ii) Utilizing effective problem-solving strategies to identify and address workplace or personal
stressors.

Common stress management skills include:

o Time management: efficient use of limited time through prioritizing tasks, protecting time for
uninterrupted focus on complex tasks, and managing e-mail floods.

o Conflict resolution: effective negotiation methods and appropriate assertiveness.

o Relaxation: enhanced ability to remain physically relaxed and mentally calm despite ongoing
stresses, whether through specific relaxation techniques or exercise.

o Structured problem solving: addressing particular situational problems in a rational and

systematic way leading to responses that are more likely to be effective.

o Realistic thinking: identifying irrational or maladaptive thinking patterns that may be increasing
distress, and replacing these with realistic thoughts conducive to reduced distress.

Page 59 of 61
Appendix J:
Useful Tools

Page 60 of 61
 Appendix J

List of Useful Tools

Phase 1
o Fostering Leadership and Policy in Workplace Mental Health, Mental Health Commission of Canada
o Making the Business Case, Great-West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace – Workplace Strategies for Mental Health

Phase 1
o Guarding Minds @ Work
o Recommended and Promising Practices for Situational Assessment Tools, Health Communication Unit, University of Toronto:
o Free Online Tool for SWOT Analysis
o Harassment and Bullying Prevention:
o SWOT (Appendix B)

Phase 3
o The Road to Resilience, American Psychological Association
o The PAR program is described in Promoting Adult Resilience in the Workplace: Synthesizing Mental Health and Work-life Balance
Approaches
o Anti-Harassment Policies for the Workplace: An Employer’s Guide, Canadian Human Rights Commission
o Let’s Talk: A Guide to Resolving Workplace Conflicts, Alberta Department of Employment and Immigration
o Mental Health First Aid, Mental Health Commission of Canada
o Helping Raise Awareness & Reduce Stigma, Great-West Life Centre for Mental Health – Workplace Strategies for Mental Health
o Brief Intervention for Hazardous and Harmful Drinking, WHO
o PHQ-9 Screen for Depression
o Managing Mental Health Matters, Great-West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace – Workplace Strategies for Mental
Health
o What You Need to Know about Mental Health: A Tool for Managers, Conference Board of Canada

Phase 4
o Randall, R., Nielsen, K., & Tvedt, S. (2009). The development of five scales to measure employees’ appraisals of organizational-
level stress management interventions. Work & Stress, 23(1), 123.
o Glasgow, R. E., McCaul, K. D., Fisher, K. J. (1993). Participation in worksite health promotion. Health Education Quarterly, 20(3),
391-408
o Randall, R., Nielsen, K., & Tvedt, S. (2009). The development of five scales to measure employees’ appraisals of organizational-
level stress management interventions. Work & Stress, 23(1), 123.
o Glasgow, R. E., McCaul, K. D., Fisher, K. J. (1993). Participation in worksite health promotion. Health Education Quarterly, 20(3),
391-408
o Identify a Champion, A Leadership Project for Advancing Workplace Mental Health, Mental Health Commission of Canada
o The Roundtable on Workplace Mental Health
o Prevention & Promotion, Championing a Health Workplace, Great-West Life Centre for Mental Health - Workplace Strategies for
Mental Health
o Safety Culture Checklist, Transport Canada
o Webinar on Shaping a Safety Culture, Dr. Graham Lowe
o Toolkit for Creating and Measuring a Safety Culture, UK Health and Safety Executive

Page 61 of 61